Gabby Collaboration Project, Season 1
by GabbCollab
Summary: A series of 'first time' tags based on the theory that in any given episode, Gibbs and Abby's romance could begin. See our profile for details! Written by various authors from the Gabby forum. Gibbs/Abby, season 1 complete.
1. Ice Queen, Goodies for Gibbs, Chirugal

**Title**: Goodies for Gibbs  
**Author**: Chirugal  
**Spoilers**: _Ice Queen_, the first of the two JAG season 8 episodes that served as a pilot for NCIS.  
**Summary**: It's the first time Gibbs has ever praised Abby this overtly, but it won't be the last…

**Author's Note**: Hey! Chirugal here! Certain Gabby forum members and I – including driftingatdusk and ncislove (to name but the two most prolific Gabby shippers in our little horde!) – are setting out to tag every single NCIS episode so far. Our theory is that any episode could be the catalyst for Gibbs and Abby to begin a relationship. There will be a few exceptions, if the exchange that's in the episode is just too much like they're already in a relationship, but for the most part we're looking at a string of unconnected 'first time' fics.

We're posting as GabbCollab, short for Gabby Collaboration, but if you look below the title, we'll always post the name of the contributing author. So far, we have nine authors signed up, and we're always happy to get others involved too! Go to this thread to sign up: http (colon slash slash) gabbyfans (dot) freeforums (dot) org (slash) group-tag-project-gabbcollab-if-you-will-t232 (dot) html. :)

Okay, on with Ice Queen's tag!

* * *

"Good job."

"Thanks, boss," Tony says, preening a little, and I suppress a grin. It took me a while to start to like him – I saw him as a replacement for Stan Burley, and it was a few months before that stopped hurting. But now I'm used to him, he kinda intrigues me. He's always flirting, always–

"I was talking to Abby."

Every thought about Tony flies out of the window, and I transfer my gaze to Gibbs, hardly able to believe what I'm hearing. Was that actual approval? Expressed in clear, concrete terms? From _Gibbs_?

Whoa. Tony who?

While said Special Agent grins, I slide my chair across the lab to my next piece of evidence, focusing on the job to cover up how flustered I feel. The first thing I noticed when NCIS hired me was that Leroy Jethro Gibbs is more attractive than any law enforcement officer has the right to be. But I squished that thought pretty damn fast when I realised how no-nonsense he is.

Well, squished it during working hours, anyway.

While Gibbs ponders the Moscow cell number written on the napkin I've drawn his attention to, Tony pushes me back to my computer. "I've got more goodies," I call to Gibbs, once he's done with Vivian.

Oops. That came out a little wrong. But it doesn't matter – no-nonsense Gibbs is too busy focusing on the plasma screen to notice that the goodies I'd like to offer him are a little more personal than a flight date.

Guess I'm better off flirting with Tony – at least I'll actually get somewhere.

* * *

"Got goodies for me now, Abbs?"

"Gibbs!" I press a hand to my pounding heart, glaring up at him. "You scared the hell out of me!"

With a slight smile, he leans against the nearby counter and watches me. "Hear you got a date with DiNozzo coming up."

That's the last thing I ever expected Gibbs to do – come down here to grill me about my love life. "Yeah."

"I ever tell you about rule twelve?"

Not specifically, but scuttlebutt travels. Gibbs' rule number twelve is 'never date a co-worker'. "You came down here to tell me not to date Tony? Gibbs, we're both consenting adults, and just cause you don't think it's a good idea for us to see each other, that doesn't mean-"

"If you're gonna break it, it should be with me."

Wait, what? Did he just say…?

His attention has never been focused on me this intensely before, and the possessive hunger I see in him renders me speechless for long seconds. "You're jealous?" I manage, finally.

He inclines his head a little in acknowledgement, and I get a sense of wry amusement from him, as if he's perfectly aware of the ridiculousness of the situation.

It puts us back on equal footing, and I tease, "Gonna tell me why you'd be a better choice than Tony?"

Gibbs walks toward me; he's a man completely confident in his own skin, and when there's just a breath between us, he tells me, "This is why."

_This_. So non-specific, and yet I know exactly what he means. The tension between us is electric; his scent is intoxicating, and everything seems safe and secure and wild and dangerous all at once…

"Gonna have to do better than that," I murmur to him, making sure he knows that even though I want him – even though he's my boss – that doesn't mean he gets to call all the shots.

"Oh, I will." He turns and walks away, glancing back over his shoulder as he reaches the doorway. "Pick you up at eight."

And then he's gone, and I'm left to stare at the doorway and wonder exactly what just happened.

The only thing I know for sure is that I'm grinning from ear to ear.

_END._


	2. Meltdown, ncislove

**Title**: Meltdown  
**Author**: ncis_love  
**Spoilers**: _Meltdown_, the second of the two JAG season 8 episodes that served as a pilot for NCIS.  
**Summary**: Gibbs doesn't want Abby calling anyone but him.

**Author's Note: **Tag #2, with many more to come!

* * *

"You're the girl of my dreams." Major McBurney snapped his phone shut and turned back to Agent Gibbs and Lieutenant Commander Faith Colemen. "That was Abby."

Gibbs cocked his head to the side. "She's calling you?" he ground out through clenched teeth.

"We were separated at birth. She's invited us to the lab…" Gibbs didn't need to hear any more.

* * *

Gibbs listened quietly as Abby rattled off her findings, watching as she chatted a little too easily with Major McBurney. And that _girl of my dreams_ comment? He didn't like that, either.

"Good job." He waited until they were alone in the lab.

Abby rocked back on her feet, a smile tugging at her lips. It wasn't often that people got praise from Gibbs, and when they did – it was because they earned it. "Thanks."

"Next time," he hesitated, "Abby, don't go calling lawyers." He was going to sound possessive, but he didn't give a damn.

"You call _me_."

"Yeah." He watched as the smile slowly faded from her face as she nodded. "Okay."

* * *

Gibbs was at his desk when he heard Abby's clunky boots as she passed. He looked up, expecting her to say goodnight as she usually did. Instead, she avoided his gaze and headed straight for the elevator.

"Abby?" Gibbs tossed the file he'd been reading into his drawer and grabbed his badge and gun.

"Oh, hey Gibbs. Heading out?" She held open the elevator door, letting him step in beside her.

"Wanna grab a drink?"

Abby looked shocked. "I… right now?"

"You busy?" Gibbs hit the button for the parking garage.

"No. No, I'm not busy."

"We'll take my car." Gibbs didn't wait for a response, just stepped off the elevator when it reached the garage, pausing halfway between the elevator and his car to make sure she was following and then continuing again.

Abby was surprised when they pulled up to her favorite bar instead of his. Gibbs led her to the bar and ordered them each a drink – a neat bourbon for him, a lemon-drop martini for her.

Conversation was easy once they were on neutral ground, away from NCIS. Work. Boats.

"I meant what I said earlier, Abbs. You call me, not the lawyers."

"Sorry," Abby winced.

"It's okay. Just remember it for next time." Gibbs softened his words by adding the hint of a smile.

"Sheesh Gibbs, you say that like we're in a relationship." Abby laughed, her voice roughened from the alcohol.

"Maybe we should be."

Abby nearly choked on her drink. "Right, as if you'd date a girl like me." She shook her head with a smile.

"I dunno, Abbs." Gibbs leaned forward as he spoke, watching as her eyes flicked back and forth between his lips and his eyes. Giving her enough time to pull back, Gibbs closed the distance between them and kissed her softly. "I'd like to think I'm full of surprises."

_END._


	3. Yankee White, Exception, ReplicantAngel

**Title:** Exception

**Author: **ReplicantAngel

**Spoilers: **_Yankee White_ and one of the rules revealed a little later (#12)

**Summary: **Abby wonders if Kate will be getting any special treatment from Gibbs.

* * *

Gibbs waited until he could hear the cupboards opening and shutting before he set his tools down and climbed the stairs. Chinese take-out sat on the counter as the black-haired woman pawed through his flatware. "Spare chopsticks are in the next drawer."

She managed to suppress her jump of surprise. "You need a bell, Gibbs," she teased before holding up a spoon. "They forgot to give you one for your soup. Haven't you heard of a drawer organizer? You know, to keep all of your forks and stuff separate?"

"Nope," he replied, starting to rummage through the bag. "Probably lost it in the last divorce."

Abby laughed, murmuring something about his way with women, and they divided up the food without discussion of who wanted what. Gibbs watched her as she spooned out a single floret of broccoli from his Szechuan beef. "Something on your mind, Abbs?"

"I heard you hired Kate as a new agent," she said, her voice light.

He tried to hide his frown - Abby often crashed his place with Chinese for fun, but also on those days that she needed someone to talk to. He didn't know why she preferred him over Ducky or one of her friends, but he was becoming adept at recognizing the occasion for her visits. Or rather, he thought he had. "Is that a problem?" he asked at last.

"No, I like her," she said with a smile. "I could tell that you did, too, so I wasn't surprised when I heard the news."

A scowl escaped before he could stop it - what did she mean by _that_? "She'll make a good agent," he said. "She has two brain cells to rub together, unlike most of the idiots in that mess of a case."

Abby was still grinning at him, and it was starting to feel disconcerting, as if he'd missed a good joke at his expense. "You said 'please'," she pointed out. "You gave up your gun to go with her on Air Force One. Not to mention..."

"What?" he prompted, shoving his chopsticks into the chow mein and pushing it aside.

"The googly eyes," she finished. "You were making googly eyes at each other the entire time I was there."

He leaned forward over the counter, so that he could catch her eye. "The gun thing didn't work out so well, if you remember," he said quietly. "And there were no _googly eyes_, Abby."

"I'm not blaming you," she replied sweetly. "She's gorgeous. And armed."

Gibbs studied her expression for a full minute - the open, amused expression that seemed to say nothing aside from what came out of her mouth. But when he moved to speak, there was the smallest flash of something else. "Jealous, Abbs?" he asked quietly.

She drew back, the smile fading a bit. "No," she said, and this time, he could see the lie with ease. "I was just wondering about Rule Twelve. I mean, Kate already broke it with Major Kerry, but I just got the impression that she wanted to break it with you, too. But I guess they're your rules, huh?"

"I think," he replied slowly, "that Kate was clear on that when I told her to find her dates somewhere else, aside from work. Like church."

Abby's laugh was soft and empty. "You should take your own advice, Gibbs. Admit it, you _like_ breaking Rule Twelve."

He came around the corner of the counter, stopping in front of her as she picked at her food. It might not be the perfect moment - in his outdated kitchen, over Chinese food that was rapidly growing cold - but he wouldn't let her think that one case could convince him to the break the rule with someone else, while he'd struggled to keep it for years around her. "Maybe," he said. "But maybe I already met someone at church. I just happen to know her at work, too."

Her green eyes snapped up to look at him. "You should have said something."

"You take the rules almost as seriously as I do, Abbs," he said.

"Not _that_ one," she breathed. "Are you looking for an exception on it?"

"A very specific exception. For one, specific person only," Gibbs replied, stepping closer.

She shifted and bit her lip. "Why didn't you tell the new Special Agent Todd about this exception?" she asked. "Seems like you were awfully vague. _Googly eyes_, Gibbs."

"Maybe I envied how easily she crossed that line," he murmured. He leaned down and pressed his lips to the corner of Abby's mouth as she drew in a little gasp.

"You told her 'please'," she whispered in one, last, weak protest.

Gibbs kissed her fully, his hands sliding down the sides of her body to pull her flush against him. "Do you want me to ask permission every time I break Rule Twelve with you?" he offered with a smile a few minutes later, when Abby was looking relaxed and colored with pleasure.

"Maybe just the once," she said, teasing again.

"Pl-," was all that he managed before Abby kissed him again. It didn't matter, he thought as she pulled away and tugged him towards the stairs to the bedroom. He had a good feeling that they'd wear the word out before the night was over.

_END._


	4. Hung Out to Dry, jennifer6973

**Title**: Hung Out to Dry  
**Author**: jennifer6973  
**Rating**: PG-13  
**Spoilers**: _Hung Out to Dry_, season one's second episode.  
**Summary**: After Tony ends up taking an unexpected parachute jump, Abby demands Gibbs visit her apartment to explain himself.

**Author's Note**: Set post-episode.

* * *

_Tony: "We ever gonna make the eleven o'clock news?"__  
__Gibbs: "Coulda happened tonight if you'd broken your neck."_

She had invited him over after hearing from Tony that he "jumped" out of the plane. That scared her, and she wanted to hear the circumstances of how it happened from Gibbs. At least, that is what she told him over the phone when she invited him over for a late dinner. She'd hoped he hadn't seen through the façade that she was just concerned for a team member. Hoped the eagerness in her voice wasn't apparent.

He knocked on the door, and before he could catch his breath she was asking what had happened, asking why Tony would jump out of a perfectly good airplane.

He told her that Tony got shoved through the door in the melee of reading the accused his rights. The others in the platoon started getting angry at him, and in the process, Tony went parachuting.

She was mad that he would consider it a joke, and started rambling things. While she was talking, he started thinking of the last time he had been here. It was to check out how his forensic scientist lived, her lifestyle. He liked what he saw, and when she invited him over for dinner tonight, he got to thinking.

About Rule 12 - Rule 12 was _never date a co-worker_. He'd broken that rule once and regretted it, ever since it ended badly. He justified wanting to date Abby by saying that she wasn't an agent, but another part of him said that she was still a team member, and would it be worth the risk to start something with her? As he knocked on the door he decided it was.

Now she was yelling out his name. He must have been thinking too long, because Abby was waving her hand in front of him.

She'd started telling him about being scared of losing him and that was when he shushed her with a finger to her lips and reassuring her that wouldn't happen. She started rambling again, and that was when he kissed her.

She asked about Rule 12 and he said they could work around it. They started kissing again when his phone started ringing. It was his ex-wife again. Abby answered the phone and the woman hung up. She never called again after that.

_END._


	5. Seadog, driftingatdusk

**Title:** Favours and Dessert  
**Author:** driftingatdusk (Jo. R)  
**Spoilers:** 'Seadog'  
**Summary:** Post-ep for 'Seadog'. Gibbs needs Abby's help.  
**Author's Note: **My first offering to the GabbCollab via the Gabby forums. Thanks to the lovely Chirugal for organising this and to my fellow authors for making it so much fun!

* * *

The case was over, the murderer caught, the sexual harassment seminar successfully avoided or so they thought. Director Morrow watched them from the balcony, a grim look on his face that could have been an attempt at trying not to smile as NCIS Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs and his team were each given copies of the memo instructing them to report to the conference room after lunch.

Morrow had had his PA print out the instructions, knowing his lead agent's reluctance to use his email programme might give Gibbs an excuse to miss the seminar.

He knew the moment the orders upon the printed page had been read and understood, arranging his features in a noncommittal expression just in time for Gibbs' cool gaze to catch him standing there.

Shrugging a half-hearted apology, Morrow turned and walked back to the relative safety of his office.

* * *

She heard about the mandatory training session from Tony DiNozzo, who was far from happy at the seminar having been rearranged especially for those agents who had missed it. Having been forced to attend the earlier session, Abby Sciuto fixed a sympathetic smile on her darkly painted lips and patted Tony's shoulder companionably all the while feeling a wicked burst of gleeful satisfaction that the rest of them would suffer as she had.

She looked up when she sensed a presence in the doorway of her lab, her smile slipping a little at the expression on Gibbs' face, a scowl she knew wasn't aimed at her but one that affected her just as much as if it had been.

His blue eyes locked with her green ones and she saw him arch an eyebrow, feeling as though he could see right through her, right to the heart of her. Feeling exposed and vulnerable and hot and bothered in a way she had no right to.

As they continued to share a long look, Abby found herself wondering if she was imaging the tension that suddenly rose in the room between them.

The smirk on Tony's face that the younger agent couldn't quite suppress told her she wasn't.

"Time to go, DiNozzo. Wouldn't wanna be late."

The sarcasm was heavy in Gibbs' voice but the order was followed anyway. Tony got up from his place leaning on Abby's desk with a long suffering sigh, leaving the pair momentarily alone.

"It's not so bad, Gibbs," Abby spoke up a little nervously. "Just sit at the back and say nothing like you usually do."

Gibbs held her gaze and his tongue, using his hands to answer instead. 'Find a way to get me out of this and I'll make it worth your while.'

He was gone before she'd composed herself enough to even start thinking of an answer, completely missing the shiver that worked its way down her spine.

* * *

The session was only ten minutes in when he felt the tell-tale vibration of his cell phone mere seconds before it started to ring. Gibbs took it out of his jacket pocket, schooling his features into a blank expression even as the corners of his mouth itched to curve upwards when he saw the caller ID on the small screen.

Flipping the phone open, he shook his head at Tony and Kate's hopeful expressions and made his way towards the door. In ordinary circumstances, he would never leave an agent behind. Given that the headache caused by his agents bickering throughout the case had only just subsided, Gibbs didn't feel too bad about breaking that rule just this once.

Director Morrow looked up from where he was sitting near the back of the room, an eyebrow arched in question. Gibbs just shrugged in response, again fighting back at grin at the look of resignation on his boss's face.

"If I get in trouble with the Director for this," the voice in his ear was saying, "you are so going to owe me."

"Already do," he murmured, imagining her pacing back in forth in her lab, worrying her bottom lip between her teeth. "Meet me in the parking lot in ten minutes."

Hanging up before she could reply though he was confident she wouldn't protest, Gibbs took the stairs down from the upper level two at a time, finally letting the grin show on his face as he collected his badge and gun from his desk.

* * *

"So is this the place you brought the reporter?" Abby wondered aloud less than an hour later, glancing around the restaurant curiously. When her companion remained silent, she returned her attention to him, an eyebrow rising. "What? You thought Tony would keep quiet about your lunch date?"

"Wasn't a date, Abs. Wouldn't have claimed it back on expenses if it was." He surveyed her over his glass, making a mental note of the glimmer of relief that flashed momentarily in her eyes.

Leaning her elbows on the table, Abby let her chin rest on the palm of one hand. "Are you going to be claiming dinner back on your expenses, too?" She waited a beat, giving him a chance to answer. "Just wondering, since you're obviously going to tell the Director this was work related since it got you out of the seminar."

He held her gaze as he answered, enjoying the play of emotions across her face as she listened. "That depends on you, Abby. You want this to be a work thing or...?"

Abby blinked in surprise. She sat back in her chair, staring at him in stunned silence for several long moments. When she was sure she could talk, she narrowed her eyes at him and leaned forward again. "Are you saying this is a date?"

He shrugged and picked up his glass again. "Could be. If you want."

Resting her arms on the table, Abby leaned further forward, into his personal space as he mimicked her position. "What about your infamous rule 12?"

"Every rule has an exception, Abs. That's almost a rule itself." Gibbs reached out to cover the hand she'd let rest on the table, smiling to himself when she instinctively turned it palm up and allowed him to lace their fingers together. "The balls in your court, Abby. No pressure. Whatever you decide, I'll go along with."

She was quiet for a while, staring down at the almost empty plate in front of her for so long he started to second guess himself and wonder if he'd misread the signals. When she looked back up at him, Gibbs wasn't sure if it was relief or the breathtaking smile on her face that made his stomach flutter.

"If this is a date," she began slowly, her voice dropping to a new, sultry low as a suggestive glint appeared in her eyes, "does that mean you'll be treating me to dessert?"

He felt an answering grin spread across his face and squeezed her fingers with one hand, motioning to the waiter hovering nearby with the other, certain that the only kind of dessert that would satisfy them both would be best served in the privacy of his place or hers.

* * *

End.


	6. The Immortals, Mischief, bluefirebird

**Title:** Mischief  
**Author:** bluefirebird  
**Spoilers:** 'The Immortals'  
**Summary:** Post-ep for 'The Immortals'. Abby greets Gibbs when they get back from investigating aboard the Naval destroyer.

By the time they get back from the USS Foster and complete the paperwork, it isn't exactly what Gibbs would have called an early night. He knows that Kate and Tony have both been down to see Abby on their return, but he hasn't made the time to visit her so he's not _entirely_ surprised to find her sat on his couch typing away on her laptop when he arrives home.

He drops his overnight bag on the floor close to the couch and leans down to give her a kiss.

"Miss me, Abs?" he smirks.

But she isn't being drawn on that. "You guys have been gone like 3 days, it's been sooo quiet in the lab without you all, and Ducky's had to supply me with Caf-Pow! while I've been hard at work figuring out MacDonald's gaming life..."

"You into all that MMR- online stuff?"

Abby smiles at him. He's a good investigator, remembers important details and just _knows_ so much of what goes on around him, but he has a blind spot with things like this.

"MMORPG," she corrects him, one day it might sink in.

"Yeah, I used to play a lot before I joined NCIS, not so much these days with you guys keeping me busy. You really should try it sometime, Gibbs."

He reaches back down to his holdall again and extracts the book Tony gave him, throwing it down on the coffee table in front of her.

"Is this a conspiracy between you and DiNozzo?" he asks mildly.

Abby picks up the book and looks at it: "Spanish?"

He shrugs at her and plops down on the couch close beside her, rubbing a palm wearily against his forehead. "Don't suppose I'd understand it any better if it were written in English."

"Dinner's in the oven - I thought you'd appreciate something home-cooked after shipboard rations."

Abby is rewarded as his body language changes from tired to interested – he definitely likes her cooking.

Gibbs goes off to the kitchen leaving Abby tapping away at her keyboard. The little box with the winking lights that gives her internet access and which has recently taken up residence in a corner of his living room hasn't escaped his notice.

He loads up two plates from the steaming casserole pot in the oven and returns to the living room where he hands Abby a plate and silverware and they settle to eat in companionable silence. For a little while.

Abby can't resist. "I hear you declined to model the bikini," she teases.

"News travels fast. Kate declined to model it first."

"But you'd look sooo much cuter in it..." she presses.

"Think DiNozzo might disagree with you there." he snorts.

"I hear the accommodation on the Foster was a little cosy, too"

"We managed."

"You know why Kate was concerned about sharing with you two?" Abby continues mischievously.

"Cos we're a couple of pigs," he deadpans.

"No." Abby's smile grows wide and evil. "Because a girl finds it hard to concentrate when she's stuck in close proximity like that with a couple of cute guys."

"That so?" His smirk is still there, but the eyebrow climbing to his hairline indicates his disbelief of what she is implying about Kate, his voice turning to a low growl. "_You_ have a problem concentrating when we come down for an evidence briefing?"

"Oh, yeah. Especially when Tony wears those tight jeans..."

He looks affronted for a moment, then asks with that smirk again: "Not planning on goin' home tonight?" After all it is _his_ couch she is sitting on, not Tony's.

She gives him a bright smile and gestures toward the basement. "Go play with your boat. I'll be here when you're done."


	7. TheCurse,ChangeIsInevitable,iheartGibbs

**Title**: Change is Inevitable  
**Author**: iheartGibbs  
**Rating**: G  
**Spoilers**: _The Curse_, season one.  
**Summary**: Abby doesn't want anything to change… until it does.

**Authors' Notes**: I know everyone is very grateful for the feedback they've been getting for their chapters. Thank you all so much! We're having fun and powering through so far... ~ Chirugal.

* * *

The lab was dark and silent. The door chirped, alerting the single occupant of the room to his presence. As if she didn't know the moment he entered any room.

"Abs?"

"Hey, Gibbs," Abby answered from her chair, quietly facing a dark computer screen.

"What's up? I figured you would have left hours ago."

"Tony said he would like to be stationed at Pearl." Abby swiveled slowly in her chair, not wanting to make contact with his stark blue gaze.

"You said it earlier: Tony's weird," Gibbs replied, signing the word the way Abby had previously.

Abby smiled, despite her gloomy mood. "I know, but…I just…"

"What is it, Abs?" Gibbs rested a hip against her desk and leaned toward her, bringing himself down to her level and forcing her to look him directly in the eyes. Hers were glistening with unshed tears.

"I don't want anything to change," she whispered, looking down through her lashes in an attempt to lessen the intensity of the moment.

"Change is inevitable. That's life," Gibbs answered softly, but matter-of-factly.

"Would life without certain people in it really be worth living?" she asked him, surprising herself with the boldness and inner fortitude it took to voice her innermost thoughts.

"You afraid Tony's gonna leave you behind?"

"Tony's not the one I'm worried about," she answered, knowing the moment she said the words that he already knew.

"Abs," Gibbs whispered, leaning in a little closer to her.

"Yeah," she replied, her entire body quivering with magnitude of emotion having him this close to her always elicited.

"I'm not going anywhere any time soon."

"Promise?"

"Sure," he answered as he slowly closed the gap between them and placed a soft kiss on her parted lips. He smirked at her breathy response, then stepped away. "Feel better?"

"Much," she answered as she grabbed her bag and followed him out the door, a spring in her step.

_END._


	8. HighSeas, FourthMattressDimension, Zabby

**Title:** Fourth Mattress Dimension

**Author:** Zabby

**Spoilers:** 'High Seas'

**Summary:** Computer flirtation.

**Abby**

I have no reason to be walking into the bullpen, not when I've got evidence calling me back downstairs. But after everything that has happened – and hasn't happened – between me and Gibbs, I find myself coming up with any excuse I can to see him. And filling Tony and Kate in on the fun that was Burley seems like a good enough excuse as any.

His eyes are on me; I can feel them burning into my skin. When I look down at him, I almost stumble at the little smile on his lips. It's almost unfair how he can make me melt with a heated look or that damn little sideways smile of his; not that I'm complaining. I slip in next to Gibbs as the two I'm with continue onto their desks, my hand pressing against his shoulder to let him know I was there.

"I really miss Burley. He was cool, you know?"

I see the rest of the team distracted by Ducky's rendition of Burley's time at NCIS headquarters. And since I'm feeling a little flirty, I lean over and start typing on Gibbs' rarely used computer. Nothing too racy, just enough to get his mind wandering a little, to let him know where my mind is.

It becomes a game, as the others talk about cricket, edged with a little bit of danger at getting caught. I'm typing, he's clicking the mouse, cutting and pasting, turning my flirting comments into something slightly naughtier. I don't know how he's done it, but he's turned it back on me.

My breath catches in my throat, and I don't know how much more I can take. If this goes any farther, I may just kiss him in front of everyone. But I know I can't – or at least I shouldn't – so I back away, making excuses, before it can go somewhere I'm not sure I'm ready for yet.

They'll leave to help Burley soon. After the team promises to hug Burley for me, I say goodbye and try not to hurry out of the bullpen. The moment before I disappear completely, I turn around to get one last look of him. But he's one-upped me again. The look on his face is heated and predatory, warning me what may – or may not – happen when he gets back.

A delicious shudder races down my spine, and I run away before I can melt into the floor, the echo of his laughter chasing after me.

**Gibbs**

With a tired sigh, I walk into my empty house, the front door unlocked as normal. I toss my jacket over a nearby chair, the muscles in my back aching from the sudden stop and start that was all part of traveling at sea. It's late, and all I want is a tall glass of bourbon and some time on my boat.

Turning towards the basement, I stop when I catch the smell of gunpowder and sugar. A smile pulls against my tired lips.

_Abby._

I know she's going to be in the living room, typing away at her laptop if she's still awake at all. Silently, I move next to the couch, seeing her curled up, her knees tucked against her body. The sight of her relaxes me, and I need to touch the beautiful illusion in front of me, to make sure she was real.

Slipping under her head, I pull her body against mine; sighing again, but this time for a reason other than tiredness. She slowly blinks her eyes open, a lazy smile greeting me as she wakes.

"What exactly is a fourth mattress dimension?" she teases, the sleep making her voice darker than normal, sexy in its huskiness.

I roll my eyes when I guess that she's been talking to Tony about our recent investigation.

"Maybe, if you're good, I'll show you someday," I can't help but tease, hoping to provoke a response. And I wasn't disappointed.

"I'm good," she claims. "Very good."

She snuggles up closer to me, pressing her body harder to mine, her hand wrapping behind my neck. But as I lower my head to seek her lips, I can see the exhaustion coloring her green eyes, knowing my own were showing the same. I kiss her lips, letting the taste of her burst on my tongue.

Moving along the side of her face, I press my lips to her temple, reaching down to curl her around my body. "I'm sure you are. And soon, we'll explore that. But for now…"

My words trail off, and I can feel my own exhaustion pull at my consciousness. Nestling into the couch and with my girl in my arms, I finally let the day drag me down, hearing Abby's own breathing slow as I join her in sleep.


	9. Sub Rosa, Hadapurpura LucaPacheco

**Title**: _**The Threat**_  
**Author**: Hadapurpura (or Luca-Pacheco here on ).  
**Spoilers**: _Sub Rosa_  
**Summary**: He had felt that burning inside before, but it was the first time he knew exactly what it was.

"Gibbs, Gibbs, Gibbs! I'm so glad you're okay! Who comes up with the idea of killing himself in order to become a bomb and kill everybody? I usually don't hate dead people because, you know, it's bad to speak ill of the dead, but I hate him now for trying to kill you all. I don't know what I would have done if…"

"Abbs…"

She was practically hanging from his neck, like a koala from a tree, looking for possible wounds in every place within the scope of her sight. Even though he intended to glare at her, he couldn't help smiling a little.

"We're fine. I'm fine", Gibbs said, reassuringly. Abby already knew that, but she wanted to see for herself and verify plus, she also wanted an excuse to come over to his house. She didn't need one anyway: Gibbs' door was always unlocked, and she was always welcome. He had told her several times already. Nonetheless, Abby was afraid he would note how eager she was, how her eyes were so dreamy every time she looked at him.

They stayed there, talking about the events of the day, while he sanded the boat. Then, after a couple of minutes of companionable silence, he turned around and found her asleep on the stairs. "No wonder she wasn't talking" Gibbs murmured to himself. Gentleman as he was, he picked her up and carried her to his bed: he could always sleep in the guest room. Just as he was tucking her in, she woke up, albeit barely.

"Where am I?" Abby asked, confused.

"My bedroom. You fell asleep".

"Oh." She suddenly sat down, fully awake. "I'm sorry! I should go home now. Bye!" She said, trying to get up, but failing miserably. Her waking state lasted a full 3 seconds.

"You're not in shape to go home, let alone driving a hearse. You'll stay here", he answered, tucking her back in.

"You know agent McGee?"

"Yeah, I do. Knows a lot about computer stuff. Could use some physical training, though".

"He just got a tat on his ass."

"I know," Gibbs quipped, chuckling. "Thinks it will make him more interesting". "To you" was added in his mind, like his hysterical laughter. He couldn't believe someone would actually fall for it.

"Makes him kinda sexy, huh?"

"What?" The grin disappeared from his face immediately. That was supposed to be funny, not sexy. What could ever be sexy about a guy who looked like a hairless, clumsy carebear and was afraid of water even though he worked for the Navy?

"Every marine has a tattoo, that's nothing special as far as I'm concerned", Gibbs pointed out, with a hint of disdain in his voice.

"Do _you_ have a tattoo?" Abby asked, smiling mischievously, before she fell asleep again.

He fiddled about with her hair a little, then kissed her head. "Sleep tight, Abbs", he whispered, and left the room.

He had felt that burning inside before, but it was the first time he knew exactly what it was: it was his blood boiling with rage for some reason. However, he knew what to do. He would swallow it all, pretend nothing happened, and come up with something to take the threat away. No one would ever steal what was his.


	10. Minimum Security, AforAntechinus

**Title**: Minimum Security  
**Author**: AforAntechinus  
**Rating**: PG-13  
**Spoilers**: _Minimum Security_, season one.  
**Summary**: Abby faces the consequences of her perfume-buying spree...

**Note**: Sorry for the delay in updating - we've had a few technical issues. Hopefully we'll be back to a regular schedule soon. :)

* * *

Abby paced nervously. She rarely spoke to the director, and this time she knew there was nothing good to come out of it.

She was just about to start muttering to herself when the Director's assistant told her she was to go into the office. Taking a deep breath, she moved one foot then the other toward the office, every step taking her closer to her doom, or so she thought.

"Ms. Scuito, do you know why I have called you in here today?"

"The $1500 that I've spent."

"Yes, now what did you spend it on?"

"Perfumes."

The director gave her a look that even Gibbs would have shirked at.

"Perfume. You spent $1500 on perfume. Do I even want to know why?"

"Well, you see..." Abby started, then stopped. She didn't want to put the blame on Gibbs, but she didn't have much other choice.

"Yes?"

"I was-"

Abby was spared any more pain by the door being opened... well, forced open, anyway.

"Director, I ordered Abby to buy all the perfumes. If you need to take it out of a budget, take it out of mine," Gibbs said.

"You asked her to spend $1500 on perfume, Special Agent Gibbs?"

"Well, I asked Abby to find out what the perfume was, and she obliged. There was a slight miscommunication about how much perfume, exactly."

"A rather big miscommunication, I'd say."

"Well, in my defence sir, they did find Osama Bin Laden's nephew. That should count for something," Abby whispered.

The director sat back in the chair and closed his eyes.

"Okay, Ms Scuito, as this hasn't happened before and I am going to say won't happen again, I think we can let it go. Just don't get yourself back in here for spending too much, okay? If you are ever concerned about what is too much, ask."

"Yes, sir."

"Also, you know that you won't be able to keep the perfumes."

"That's fine, sir, I didn't particularly like them. Sawdust is more my thing." Abby could feel Gibbs staring at her, but kept her eyes unswervingly on the director.

"Okay, you can go."

It wasn't until after they had left the office that Gibbs spoke up.

"Are you heading home, Abby?"

"No, I still have a test to run. Thanks for butting in."

Instead of leaving her at the stairs, Gibbs followed her to the elevator, stepping in with her as the doors opened.

A second after the elevator had started to move, he shut it off, stepping into her personal space. All Abby could do was try to remember to breathe, although that was proving difficult, what with Gibbs standing so close.

"You like the smell of sawdust Abby?" The question lingered by her ear. Abby could smell sawdust, and smiled.

"There's something about it, Gibbs, I couldn't tell you what, though."

The next moment she was being kissed, his lips surprisingly soft, kissing her hard on the lips, almost desperately. His hands had slipped from their previous positions of being beside her, so one was on the wall above her, and one behind her head.

It only took a moment for her to kiss him back and another to find her arm around his neck. It was all he needed, and she found herself pushed flat against the wall of the elevator, locked into a passionate embrace with Gibbs, something she had only dreamed of. Yet in reality it was so much better.

Whilst she would have liked the kiss to have continued, the need for air soon became apparent, and they had to stop even if only for a moment.

"Are you sure you need to run that test, Abs?"

"It will only take half an hour."

The look in Gibbs eyes told her he could barely wait.

"I'll be waiting."

With that he pushed the button back on, and the elevator took them to the bottom level, giving them enough time to fix themselves up.

_END._


	11. Marine Down, KuromiGrrl

**Title**: Marine Down  
**Author**: KuromiGrrl  
**Spoilers**: _Marine Down_. Episode 1x9  
**Summary**: Abby reveals her true feelings to Gibbs.

* * *

Gibbs walked back into the squad room after having just delivered an early Christmas present in the form of Major Craig Peary back to his family who had thought he had died. Sighing, he removed his coat, making sure not to jostle the sling he had around his injured right arm.

"Gibbs! Gibbs! Gibbs!" exclaimed Abby as she ran out of the back elevator. "What did they say? Were they excited? Did the kids recognize their father?" Her pigtails flew as she gestured wildly.

"Yeah," he replied, "I guess so. Didn't stick around long enough for the fiesta, though." Stretching his neck he sat down at his desk.

"Where's Kate and Tony?"

"Didn't ride back with them."

As she absorbed that piece of information, Abby became very still and the joy that previously lit up her face disappeared. Her expression rearranged itself into a mask of composure at odds with the internal turmoil rising within her thoughts.

"Oh…um…well then. I guess I'll come back later when they return. See you, Gibbs…" Abby abruptly turned around and headed back to her lab, much to Gibbs' consternation.

"Abby!" he called out, but she was already gone.

* * *

_**Why?**_ She kept asking herself. _**Why, why, why, why, why?**_ _**Why do I even care? **_Abby paced around her lab. _**I'm SO not like that redhead. She's sophisticated. She drives a Mercedes-Benz. She's probably wears designer perfume... Stop thinking about him**_, she told herself firmly.

"Stop thinking about who, Abby?" Gibbs stood quietly behind her, having entered the lab without her noticing. He reached around her to place a Caf-Pow! next to her keyboard. Abby immediately tensed up, every nerve in her body tingling with awareness. Did I actually SAY that out loud?

Gibbs could sense the change in his lab rat but did not ask anything further, knowing that eventually Abby would talk. She always did. Especially when she was nervous, which Gibbs was positive was the case at this very moment.

Grabbing the drink as if it were her lifeline, Abby immediately took a long slurp through the straw, grateful for the extra seconds the action afforded her to organize a response that was appropriate (that is, would pass Gibbs' radar) and yet be truthful.

"Him? Him who?" Abby replied breezily. She placed the Caf-Pow! back down on her desk and pretended to focus on her computer screen.

"The 'him' you just told yourself to stop thinking about." Gibbs quietly answered. "Is there someone that's bothering you? You would tell me, right?" He moved closer to her, if that was even possible. She could feel the warmth from his breath against her ear

"No one important, Gibbs," she whispered to him. "There's nothing you can do about it." Abby tried to move away but he wouldn't let her.

"You're lying. I can tell. Who. Is. It. That's. Bothering. You?" Gibbs demanded in a low rumble.

Abby pushed him aside and began to walk towards her back office, trying not to cry. Gibbs could see how upset she was so he grabbed her shoulder and spun her around to face him. "Tell me!"

"FINE! It's YOU. OKAY!" Abby cried out as she wiped the tears from her eyes. "YOU'RE THE ONE I CAN'T STOP THINKING ABOUT!" With that, she shook off his grasp and ran towards the back office and shut the glass door so Gibbs couldn't follow.

Stunned, Gibbs could not move, let alone formulate a response. For once his infamous gut had not clued him in. At all. Sighing he walked over to the door.

"Abby. Open the door." Gibbs quietly requested. Looking up at him he could see tears in her eyes and indecision warring with desire to have him near her. "Please."

It was that rarely used word that had her release the locking mechanism. Immediately he stalked in and crouched down next to her where she sat behind the desk.

"I'm sorry, Gibbs, for that outburst. It will never happen again. It was very…very…" she hiccoughed as she wiped her tears away, tracking mascara down her cheeks, "unprofessional. I don't know what got into me."

Gibbs said nothing but reached over to her and took her into his warm embrace. Thinking back to her behavior towards him ever since she started working at NCIS he had always thought her need for hugs and kisses was an equal-opportunity moment of affection, regardless of whoever happened to be around. Apparently some meant more to her than others.

And Gibbs was not a stupid man. He was never the one to worry about conventions. Why look a gift horse in the mouth? He placed a finger gently underneath her chin and raised her face so she could look him straight into the eyes. Holding her gaze steadily he slowly lowered his head towards her and gently brushed his lips against hers. Once. Twice. On the third pass she threw her arms around his neck as he angled her face so that he could deepen the kiss.

For Abby it was like a dream come true. She had only imagined what it would be like to kiss him – but speculation and supposition was no match for absolute data. And here it was, in all its glory.  
Unfortunately they both needed air so she ended up moving away first.

"Wow," Abby declared. Her green eyes were sparkling.

Gibbs waited for her to say more, surprised when all she did was to continue to look at him, a wondrous grin on her face. "Wow," she repeated louder, "Can we do that again?"

This time he broke into a chuckle. "Yes, but let's get out of here first. I don't want to start anything I can't stop with a possible audience. My place or yours?" He threw over his shoulder as he stood up with her and began striding towards the exit.

"I don't care – but I'm gonna make you kiss me in the car first! I can't wait that long! Yippee! This is going to be such an AWESOME Christmas!" And with that, Abby bounced on her platforms and turned out the lights in her lab, grabbing Bert at the last moment as she ran to follow Gibbs.

_END_


	12. Left For Dead, Saru Sasori

**Title**: Behind Closed Doors  
**Author**: Saru Sasori (anglophile)  
**Spoilers**: _Left For Dead_  
**Summary**: Gibbs berates Abby for letting things slip in front of DiNozzo.

**Author's Note**: Called in as a backup for the GabbCollab challenge. This one's an established-relationship fic rather than a beginning.

* * *

Striding into the main NCIS forensics lab, Gibbs slowed his pace as he approached an engrossed Abby. Stepping up behind her, he leans forward so he's almost cheek to cheek with her. When he speaks, his voice is low enough not to carry out of their little bubble. "Eighteenth century French chastity belt, Abs?"

A rattle of keys from the workstation in front of her is the only tell that he's succeeded in startling her with his presence. She takes a calming breath before turning her head just enough to lightly brush her lips against his cheek before returning to face forward. "Thought that was more than you wanted to know."

Bracketing her with his arms, Gibbs traps her against her work station. Crowding in close, his front just barely touching her back, he pauses a moment to let the heat build before continuing. "You know better than to mention things like that while DiNozzo is in the room."

A mischievous glint and wicked grin precede her response. "Oh, and your comment about certain words coming from dark lips isn't just as bad?" She forces herself not to turn in his arms, knowing that they're on camera, and a meeting with Director Morrow is not on her agenda for the evening.

"I'm not the one telling Tony about copy room exploits, Abs."

A flush makes its way up Abby's neck as she ducks her head. "Sorry, heat of the moment. You know he doesn't suspect anything."

"He better not. Or I'll ration your Caf-Pow! for the rest of the week."

This time she can't stop herself from facing him. Still trapped against the high table at her back, she raises her eyes to his in indignation. "You wouldn't!"

Stepping in to bring them into full contact, he leans in to whisper in her ear. "Try me." A nip to her earlobe and he backs away, turning as if to leave. "Squad room, twenty minutes. Don't be late."

She shouts after him, "But I thought Tony was crashing on your couch!"

He doesn't dignify her with an answer as he leaves the lab.

* * *

Nineteen minutes later Abby is in front of Gibbs' desk, coat on and parasol dangling from her wrist. Gibbs uses the last minute to save his report of the Suzzanne McNeil case and grab his gun and badge from the desk drawer. Pulling on his coat, he ushers Abby towards the elevator with a hand at the small of her back.

Shooting him a questioning look, Abby is not surprised when Gibbs doesn't say anything until they're safely in the elevator, heading down to the ground floor. "Not up for the coffin tonight, but a history lesson sounds good."

The SF at the front door is left wondering what Special Agent "Hard Ass" Gibbs could possibly say to make Abby Sciuto giggle all the way to the parking lot.

_END._


	13. Eye Spy, miss4nschik

**Title**: Eye Spy  
**Author**: miss4nschik  
**Spoilers**: _Eye Spy_, season one  
**Summary**: Gibbs is jealous of Abby's boy-toy.

* * *

"_Are you still in touch with that old NASA-boyfriend?"  
_

"_He wasn't a boyfriend. He was a boy-toy. And yes, we IM almost every day."  
_

"_You do?"  
_

"_Oh yeah"  
_

"_That's good, right?"  
_

"_Oh it's __**very **__good…"_

The short conversation from the morning had intrigued him.

Her intonation when she said that it was very good; made his imagination go running since he doubted that it was all just science she'd talk to her ex-"boy-toy" about. He didn't know why the thought of Abby and this guy annoyed him so much. Perhaps this boy-toy was annoying simply because he was male. Something inside him wanted to know just what they'd talk about and just how good that was.

The interactions between Abby and Ashton in MTAC partially had confirmed his thoughts.

"… We really should talk."

"We _really _should talk."

Oh hell you are.

"Special Agent Gibbs here! …"

This Ashton-guy didn't look like Abby's type anyway. Sure, he was clever, working for NASA and all, but worthy of Abby? Hell no.

* * *

Once they had gotten Lieutenant Egan back to the Navy Yard and finished the last tasks for the day he had gone down to get Abby from her lab.

He had called her when Tony and Kate had arrested the woman, to tell her to stay in the lab and wait for him. He wanted to talk to her. Really he was just curious about just what she did with this "boy-toy" of hers. He wasn't really sure about how he could ask her or what she would think about it but anyway. He had a feeling that this really came from having a face to one of Abby's boyfriends. Of course he knew about them but he didn't actually want to know them.

She was sitting by her desk, tapping on her keyboard.

"Hi Gibbs!", she announced in a almost too cheerful tone as he came walking towards her.

"What are you doing?"

"Uhm… I'm just IM-ing with Ashton", she was truthful as always, smiling innocently.

"Really. What are you talking about?"

"That's private."

But he was pretty sure that he already knew; he didn't need to be an investigator to jump to conclusions. In this case being a man and people-reader was enough.

Judging by the way she had been sitting before she noticed him entering the lab, they must've been talking about something way hotter than the weather. The way her skirt had hooked up on her thigh was another clue.

"My guess is that you're not exchanging recipes…"

He got behind her and by pushing her chair forwards he had easily trapped her against her desk. He leaned down to speak quietly right into her ear.

"Next time you want to '_talk_': don't IM Ashton.", he spoke with a low, husky voice that sent shivers down her spine, right to her core, "You call me."

Then he briskly walked out of the lab.

* * *

He had just gotten out of the shower when he heard a knock on his door. He quickly pulled on some sweatpants and went to open.

Outside stood Abby. When she realized that he wasn't wearing anything on his upper body he saw her draw a quick breath and a sly smile spread over her face.

"Hey Gibbs…"

"Hi Abs."

"You said I should call if I wanted to talk… well, I thought it was better to _talk_, face to face."

"Usually is."

He closed the door behind her; carefully making sure to lock it.

_END_


	14. My Other Left Foot,Emergency Stop, bbfan

**Title**: Emergency Stop  
**Author**: bbfan  
**Rating**: K+  
**Summary**: Gibbs and Abby talk about tattoos in the elevator.  
**Spoilers**: _My Other Left Foot_, season 1  
**Warnings**: None

**Author's Note**: Thanks to AngelQueen for the wonderful beta. This was a hard one to write. I hope I did it justice! Feedback is much appreciated.

* * *

"We got Humpty Dumpty back together again?" Gibbs asked as he entered the squad room. It didn't take long for him to notice that Abby's eyes were on him the whole time. He walked over to his desk and pretended to be busy with his computer.

"Most of him," Kate quickly answered.

"Melon and left leg are still outstanding," Tony added.

"Any more tattoos?" he asked. He knew Tony would have a comment on that. Of course, he didn't disappoint.

"Just the rose on Kate's butt," Tony answered, falling into Gibbs' game. He didn't have to look at his senior field agent to know that there was a big grin on the younger man's face.

"It's not a rose," Gibbs responded, trying hard not to laugh.

There was silence for a moment and then Kate's halting voice spoke up.

"He doesn't know. He's lying just like he did about the digitalis. Okay, tell them, Gibbs," she said. She sounded almost panicked.

Gibbs turned around and smirked at them all. His eyes met Abby's for a moment. Although she smiled at him, he could tell she was curious if he was telling the truth about Kate's tat.

He had her right where he wanted her.

They'd skirted around their growing feelings for one another long enough. He wanted her and she wanted him – it was that simple. Grabbing his coat he walked out of the squad room, leaving Tony and Kate squabbling over whether he'd really seen the tat and headed for the elevator. He knew Abby wouldn't be far behind.

Gibbs made it to the elevator and had stepped into it when he heard her voice.

"Gibbs, Gibbs, Gibbs, wait for me!" Abby called out.

Abby reached the elevator just as the doors were about to close. Stepping in, she didn't look at him, but stared straight ahead, the bright smile on her face telling him she was busting to say something.

Gibbs turned and flipped the emergency stop switch, bathing them in blue light. He then stepped into her personal space, forcing her to look at him. The boots she was wearing brought them eye to eye.

"What?" he growled, again fighting a smile. Making himself appear threatening either made people get to the point very quickly, or stutter so badly that they'd never speak again. It worked wonders on Tony.

Abby didn't flinch, though. She was the only one that wasn't put off by his intimidation tactics. "Just wondering how you knew Kate's tat wasn't a rose," she said suspiciously.

"Jealous, Abbs?" he asked, taking another small step towards her.

"Nope. Rule 12 is firmly in place. I know you wouldn't break your own rules," Abby said confidently.

Gibbs smirked and leaned in until his lips were nestled against her ear. It was then that he noticed her purse and coat had dropped to the floor. He heard her take a shaky breath. He knew he had her right where he wanted her, unsettled and a little off-balance at their close proximity. He placed his hands on her hips and pulled her flush against his body.

"Are you sure, Abby?" Gibbs murmured against her ear. He felt the shudder that raced through her body. It matched the one that spread through his.

"Um, yeah… I think. I mean you wouldn't compromise, it's not in your nature to… please tell me you didn't…" Abby's ramble ended in a mere whisper.

Gibbs leaned back only enough so he could look into her eyes. He wanted to make sure she knew where this was headed and was okay with it. What he saw was dark green eyes full of desire. Directed at him.

She was so beautiful.

"Didn't what?" he asked, sensually.

"You know…"

"You mean… this?" Gibbs closed the gap. Their lips met for the first time, a slow, sweet kiss that hinted at something so much more. He wasn't quite ready for that to happen – neither was she – so after a moment he leaned back slightly to hear her response.

"Uh huh…" Abby's response came in a trembling voice. Her eyes had closed.

"And… this?" Gibbs continued to kiss her, but this time he sought entrance. He was granted it almost instantly. It didn't take long for the kiss to become carnal. Tongues dueled for dominance, hands roamed, and their bodies began to react to the moment. It took every bit of strength he had to pull away from her.

Gibbs stepped away and smirked. He wanted her to believe that the kiss hadn't affected him, so he continued on about Kate as if nothing had happened.

"No, I didn't see Kate's tat. Heard your conversation when you set it up to have it done," he said, nonchalantly.

Abby stared at him incredulously. For a moment he thought she was going to get mad, but instead, she played along.

"Not nice, Gibbs," she said, smacking him on the chest. She then picked up her coat and purse. She gave him a sweet smile.

Gibbs smiled back, reached over and flipped the emergency lever. The elevator started towards their destination, the lobby.

Gibbs glanced over at her and broke the silence.

"Abby?"

"Hmm…" she said, almost dreamily.

"How many tats do you have?" he asked.

"I could come over and show you, if you'd like," she answered. The smirk on her lips was pure sin.

"Oh, I'd like…"

_END._


	15. 1Shot,1Kill, CatGotYourTongue?, Chirugal

**Title**: Cat Got Your Tongue?**  
Author**: Chirugal**  
Rating**: T**  
Spoilers**: _One Shot, One Kill_ – season one.**  
Summary**: Abby has never seen Gibbs in uniform before. It kinda blows her mind.

**Author's Note**: And around we go again! Chirugal here, cause we're back to the top of the list and working down. :)

* * *

Abby has never seen Gibbs in uniform before. It kinda blows her mind.

He comes down to the lab to return the surveillance equipment to her, leaving it in a tangle of wires on her workbench. She hears the sound of it all being put down, and turns to glare at the mess. "Giiibbs! You couldn't have untangled-"

Her words falter as she looks from the table to the man. The man who's still wearing his undercover recruiter uniform. Which Abby never got to see before the operation went down.

Wow, he looks good.

Really good, actually.

She's not sure if it's the ironed-to-perfection shirt or those tight pants, or the way that he's habitually standing straighter than usual. Maybe it's all of the above. Whatever it is, it sets her blood tingling through her body, and-

"Cat got your tongue?" Gibbs seems amused by her sudden silence. Oh, god, he knows exactly where her mind is.

She sticks her tongue out at him in response, and he steps closer to her. Too close for it to be platonic, and her heart is pounding, and the expression on his face is just too intense for her to bear.

"Wanna do that again?" It's a challenge, issued in a voice she's never heard him use before – quiet, rough and unbelievably sexy.

She doesn't stop to analyse what's going on – that can come later. She flicks out her tongue again, just for a moment, and oh, god…

His lips are on hers, his tongue chasing hers back into her mouth, and she's clinging to him, kissing him back with everything she has. His arms slip around her waist, his palms against the small of her back, dragging her closer. She runs her hand through his Marine-short silver hair, and he kisses down her throat, then around to the spiderweb tattoo on the side of her neck.

"Gibbs," she whispers, needing to halt this crazy moment before she loses her mind completely and tries to rip that uniform right off him.

He draws back, his breath heavy; the lust they both feel is plain on his face. "Is it the uniform, or is it me?"

She forgot he was wearing the uniform the moment he kissed her, and she rolls her eyes at the question. "What, you think I just go around kissing any Marine in uniform? I'm not that easy, Gibbs."

He gives her a wry smile, shrugging. "Uniforms do strange things to women. Had to be sure."

"If it helps, I'm thinking of ways to get you _out_ of the uniform right now." She shakes her head, amazed that he'd doubt that she's drawn to him. "I've wanted to do that for over _two years_. Okay, so the uniform fetish helped, but…"

"First time I could be sure you were interested. Didn't wanna miss my chance."

Abby grins. "Oh, you didn't."

"Gonna be stuck untangling wires for a while, or are you ready to get out of here?" He looks down at the mess he left on her desk.

She should tidy stuff away before she goes home for the night. She should. And any other day, she would. But with Gunnery Sergeant Gibbs standing in front of her?

"Your place or mine, Gunny?" she asks, looking up at him through her lashes.

"Mine's closer." He turns and heads for the door. "Meet you in the parking lot in ten minutes."

"Aye aye, sir!" She watches him leave – wow, he looks good in those pants – and then sets about shutting down her lab.

All work and no play makes Abby a dull scientist, after all.

_END._


	16. The Good Samaritan, ncislove

**Title**: The Good Samaritan  
**Author**: ncislove  
**Rating**: PG-13  
**Spoilers**: _The Good Samaritan, _season one  
**Summary**: Abby decides it's time she and Gibbs made good on that poker game...

* * *

"_You're particularly feisty today."_

"_Thanks for noticing." _

Abby replayed the time she spent with Gibbs in the evidence garage over and over again in her mind as she made the short drive from her place to his. She had tried calling, but his phone went straight to voicemail. From what she had heard, he'd decided to switch it off after work in order to avoid any late-night phone calls from Charley.

His front door was unlocked, as usual, and she stepped inside without hesitation. "Gibbs?"

"Abby?" Gibbs stepped out of the kitchen, a dishtowel in hand. "Everything okay?"

"Yep, fine." She lifted up the six-pack in her left hand and the deck of cards in her right. "Thought I would see if you're as good as you claim."

"That so?"

"Well, if you aren't busy." Abby peered into the living room. "You know, if Charley isn't on her way over?"

"Think you spend too much time with DiNozzo," He took the beer and the cards from her hands and carried them to the kitchen table. "Poker, can we play with just two people?"

"Would you rather play Go Fish?"

"You are feisty today, anything you need to share?" Gibbs uncapped two beers and passed her one.

"Nah… I've already blown your mind twice today; I don't want to run the risk of permanent damage."

Gibbs shook his head and smiled as he started laying out the cards for solitaire.

"Hey, that isn't poker," Abby complained. "No playing games without me!"

"Why are you really here, Abbs?" He eyed her curiously, hoping for some sort of hint as to what she wanted.

"I told you, I want to test your skills at poker. You sounded rather confident."

"That all?"

"I don't know, is it? You tell me."

He continued to watch her and was slightly disappointed that she gave nothing away.

"You realize that your trademark 'Gibbs stare' is highly ineffective on me, right?" Abby leaned over and moved a few cards on his game of solitaire.

"Mm, I've noticed. I'll have to come up with something new."

Abby laughed, "Oh Gibbs, you would have to try real hard to intimidate me, and even then you would have to be blatantly mean and _that_ wouldn't do anything except hurt my feelings."

"I'm not going to be mean to you," Gibbs took a long sip of his beer.

"I know, which means you're out of luck. Which means you'll have to find _other_ ways to keep me in line when I'm feisty."

He couldn't help the silly grin on his face at her statement. He also couldn't believe they were having such an obviously sexually charged conversation and she was acting like it was no big deal. "Oh?"

"Oh?" Abby leaned back in her chair, creating a bit more space between them. "All I get is an _oh_?"

"Alright, c'mon, one game of poker. Winner takes all." Gibbs swept up the cards and started to shuffle them.

"Fair enough. What're we playing for? I didn't bring my pennies."

"I don't play for pennies, Abbs. If I win, I get to see your tattoos. All of 'em."

"Sheesh Gibbs, you don't need to play games to get me to strip, all you have to do is ask."

Something clicked for Gibbs – he wasn't interested in games. "I'm asking."

Abby glanced at the cards in his hands and then stood up. She circled the table and took the deck of cards from his hands and setting them aside. She leaned her hip against the table and held out her arm, showing him the tattoos he'd memorized a long time ago. "I know you've seen these, but you said you wanted to see them all."

Gibbs lifted her hand to his lips, kissing the smiley face on her middle finger. "The cross, Abbs. Then the rest."

"Pushy, pushy. And you say I'm feisty today." She turned slowly and lifted her shirt up and off, dropping on the table. She shivered when Gibbs' fingers made contact with the small of her back, his finger tracing the intricate black lines.

"You're rather quiet, Abbs. I find something to replace my _trademark_ glare?"

"Mm, I think so," she shivered when his lips replaced his fingers. "Remind me to be feisty more often."

"Deal."

_END_


	17. Enigma, Worry Lines, ReplicantAngel

**Title: **Worry Lines

**Author: **ReplicantAngel

**Spoilers:** _Enigma_

**Summary:** The case hit too close to home._  
_

* * *

Gibbs didn't glance up until she set the coffee on his desk. "Thought you might need it," she said.

"Thanks, Abbs," he sighed as he picked up the cup.

She gave him a small smile and walked over to Kate's desk to sink into the empty chair with her own drink. The entire floor was quiet and dark, and the only sounds were Gibbs flipping through the pages of reports from recent cases and her sipping Caf-Pow! through the straw. Gibbs seemed content to sit quietly, but it didn't take long to make her restless. "Are you going to go home soon?"

"In a few minutes," he said, closing a folder and picking up another one. He paused before he began reviewing it to look at her again. "Why're you waiting for me, Abbs?"

She shrugged. "It's bad enough when the FBI shows up, Gibbs, but Colonel Ryan was your friend and your commanding officer. He wasn't just having hallucinations, either - he was having hallucinations about about Lieutenant Cameron."

He leaned back in his chair. "Even when he's sick, the colonel is still the same person. He wanted to protect his country, even if he was imagining some of the danger."

"I know," she murmured. "But, Gibbs..."

"I'm fine, Abby," he interrupted. "The colonel's getting help, and we got the bastard that was after him. That's what matters."

She nodded, although she knew that she hadn't wiped the troubled expression from her face. "Just making sure," she said. She only hesitated a moment longer before she got to her feet and turned towards the elevator. "Goodnight, Gibbs."

Instead of replying, he stood up and joined her just as she pressed the call button. "I'll walk you out."

The elevator was far too bright in comparison to the squad room, and Abby rubbed at eyes, aware of how tired she must look. Gibbs leaned forward to look at her. "You okay, Abbs?"

"I didn't have enough of these things today," she joked softly, swishing her Caf-Pow! around. She smiled at him. "And I'm the one that supposed to be worried about you, remember?"

"Don't," he said in that affectionately exasperated tone that he only used with her.

Her smile widened. "Can't help it," she replied. "I always do. More and more, every day. Especially when you're getting shot at by the FBI."

"Can't be because I'm getting older," he said, arching a brow.

"I don't worry about people because of their age alone, Gibbs."

He nodded. "I can tell. Or you would've been worried about giving that sixty-five year old biology professor a heart attack or two while you two dated."

Her mouth dropped open. "Gibbs! How did you..." She stopped and rolled her eyes. "Tony is _such_ a blabbermouth."

They reached the ground floor, and the doors opened. It wasn't until they had passed the security guards and stepped out into the cool, night air that Gibbs said, "Should have expected he'd talk about it. You called him the older guy."

"Yeah. So?"

"Kind of a double standard you have, Abbs," he pointed out. "Dating older is a sign of maturity, so what is dating younger? That's what your professor did with you. What Tony does with every girl he dates."

She looked up at him to see how serious he had become. "I was generalizing," she murmured. "I mean, I can guess why Tony dates younger women, and it's not _entirely_ the same reason why my professor dated me. We had a lot in common. Frat boys don't exactly like to talk about the Human Genome Project over dinner, you know?"

"Why didn't it work out, then?"

Abby tried to resist wringing her hands, but she becoming entirely flustered under his intense gaze. "Um, well, we didn't care about our difference in ages, but other people did. I didn't want to break up, but he was uncomfortable about how many people assumed that I was his daughter or even granddaughter. And when he told his family, they flipped. It was so stupid. I don't think age is truly meaningless, but it shouldn't be a barrier to happiness. I suppose he _wasn't_ happy in the end though."

They had reached her car before she gathered the courage to ask, "So, why're you so curious? Wanting to date a young redhead and afraid I'll judge you for it?" Her voice wasn't nearly as playful as she'd intended.

Gibbs turned to her and shook his head. "I guess this case did make me feel a bit older than usual," he said.

"See, _that's_ what I was worried about. Watching people you knew when they were strong and healthy become anything but that is awful, but, Gibbs, you've hardly lost your touch just because you're over thirty."

He gave her a small smile as he reached out to run his thumb down the length of her jaw. "Glad you think so, Abbs," he said. "But if it's not my age that makes you worry more and more for me, then what is it?"

She blushed. "Gibbs. You've known why probably since the moment I figured it out."

"Not that long," he replied.

"Well, why are you asking now?" Abby asked, looking up at him.

He stepped close enough that she could feel the warmth of his body through her clothing. "Because I _am_ getting older, and surviving this long doesn't mean that something won't happen to me later." He silenced any protest that she might have had by pulling her flush against him. "Because the reasons that I gave myself for not saying anything might have been the reasons I should have told you everything."

Abby smiled and wrapped her arms around him. "I feel like I'll be worrying a lot more in the future," she said before reaching up to give him a long, passionate kiss. "But it'll be worth it."


	18. Bete Noire, Light in the Dark, Jo R

Title: A Light in the Dark  
Author: driftingatdusk (Jo. R)  
Spoilers: 'Seadog', 'Bete Noire'  
Summary: Post-ep for 'Bete Noire'  
AN: Thanks to Jennifer for switching episodes with me - this has been with me since we watched the ep as part of the forum Squeewatch :)

* * *

_Her eyes were open, staring straight up at them. A silent scream reverberated around her head but no sound escaped her._

_Ducky and Gerald continued talking as they worked, neither acknowledging she was the one they were performing the autopsy on._

_Neither noticing she was still alive._

A breathless cry escaped her and she sat up in an unfamiliar bed, her heart pounding, making blood roar like thunder in her ears.

"It's okay, Abs," a sleepy voice beside her said reassuringly. Her bed-mate sat up and did his best to stifle a yawn with the back of one hand while reaching out to her with the other.

Abby went to him willingly, trembling as she cuddled into his side. She was too shaken to realise how intimate it was to be waking up with him and to be held so close in his bed while Gibbs was too tired to let her proximity affect him too much.

Her nightmares had started a few nights ago but she'd only confided in him the day before – and only then because she'd needed to give him a reason for why she'd suddenly started to avoid the morgue. Ducky – Doctor Mallard, the NCIS Medical Examiner – had been perplexed at first, wondering if he'd done something to upset the forensic specialist so she'd reluctantly given Gibbs permission to tell him, too.

Never one to let her suffer in silence – and especially not when it could end up affecting the results she got for him, results his cases often depended on – Gibbs had done the only thing he could think of that might keep the nightmares at bay – extended an invitation to his place so he could wake her up if she started dreaming.

His offer had surprised him as much as her but he'd covered it quickly, managing to hide his reaction at the thought of sharing a bed – his bed – with the woman who starred in most of his recent fantasies. When she'd hesitated before accepting, he'd felt a moment of relief and a surge of disappointment, both of which had abated when she agreed.

Now, three nightmares into the night, Gibbs was torn between being concerned for her and being absolutely worn out. He'd gone without sleep for days at a time before but, somehow, lying next to her exhausted him completely. Part of it was always being on edge, waiting for the telltale signs that she was having another nightmare and part of it, earlier in the night, was caused by trying to keep his thoughts and his hands to himself without letting his body's response to her betray one of his many closely guarded secrets.

Cradling her against him, Gibbs ran a hand down her back, soothing her as well as himself. He couldn't keep himself from pressing his lips to the top of her head and hoped she was too tired to notice.

"I'm sorry, Gibbs," Abby murmured, her apology muffled against his chest. "I should just go home or maybe sleep on the couch."

"Not gonna happen, Abs." He tightened his arms around her as if intending to keep her there, admitting to himself as he lay back down and pulled her with him that the thought had crossed his mind. "Just try to go back to sleep. I'm here, and I won't let anything happen to you."

Believing him as she always did, Abby settled against him without protest. It was some time before she fell asleep again and longer still until he joined her.

* * *

The fear and panic that had gripped her when Ducky had first summoned her to the morgue was back in full force. Abby followed Gibbs' instructions instinctively, not really hearing a word of what he said.

All she could think of was that it should have been her held hostage in autopsy, not Kate. It should be her trapped in a room with a stranger and his gun but it wasn't because Kate had gone in her place.

Kate, and Ducky and Gerald, were facing death and danger only a floor below her pacing feet.

"Abby."

"It should be me down there, Gibbs," she told him brokenly, searching his face for some sign that he wasn't as disappointed in her as she was in herself. "It should be me."

"Maybe you're not there, Abby, because you are needed here." Something flashed on his face, something she couldn't decipher, and his hands tightened momentarily on her shoulders.

Abby nodded and did as he asked, still feeling the fear and the panic... Fear and panic now joined by intrigue and curiosity.

* * *

Guilt ate away at him.

Guilt that the unknown, unnamed terrorist had escaped.

Guilt that Gerald had been hurt.

Guilty that he'd failed in protecting his people.

Guilt that Kate had been in danger.

Guilt that, for a split second, he'd allowed himself to feel relieved that Kate had gone in Abby's place.

He tried to imagine how events could have unfolded if it had been Abby in autopsy in Kate's place and he didn't like the images his mind conjured up. Abby's nightmares became his own but instead of her being autopsied alive, she lay on a slab in Ducky's domain, a perversely neat bullet wound to the head as her lifeless eyes stared up at him.

Why didn't you save me? Why didn't you protect me? Why, those soulless green eyes demanded, did you let me die?

Drinking bourbon alone in his basement, shooting at the grainy image of the man who had singlehandedly shattered his belief that despite the danger they faced in their jobs, his people would always be safe within the protective walls of the NCIS Headquarters.

The comfort he got from knowing Abby was safe in her lab, out of harm's way, could no longer exist.

Abby.

He'd left her at the Navy Yard, her demons defeated even as his own emerged from the shadows. She'd been sleeping peacefully in the morgue when he'd left and, although he hated the thought of her being there, he didn't have the heart to disturb her first peaceful slumber in days.

"There's some who'd say drinking alone is a sign you have a problem." Her voice startled him and, for a moment, he wondered if he'd drunk far more than he'd intended. Blinking didn't make the vision of her walking down the stairs towards him disappear, nor did it erase the line marring her smooth brow. "You left without me."

Remembering his promise that he'd bring her home since he'd taken her to work, Gibbs added breaking his promise to her to the list of things he felt guilty for.

He shrugged a shoulder in silent apology, unable to say the words.

"S'kay." She shrugged back and covered the distance between them, taking his glass from his hand and helping herself to the bourbon it still held. "Gave me a chance to talk to Kate."

"She doing okay?" He arched an eyebrow, more at her taking his drink than at anything she'd said.

"She will be," Abby answered after a short pause. "A little shaky but that's understandable. She's annoyed with herself for letting him go."

Gibbs said nothing; he didn't need to tell her how he felt for Abby to know.

"It's weird, isn't it? A terrorist breaks into NCIS, shoots Gerald and takes Ducky and Kate hostage and my nightmare suddenly doesn't seem so bad." She took another sip before handing the glass of bourbon back to him. "I guess it's because it's over and we all survived it. Or maybe because you were there and you dealt with the threat like always."

Gibbs downed the rest of the bourbon and reached for the bottle to pour himself another, stopping only when she moved it out of reach. "I let him go, Abby."

"No, you didn't. You had him pinned down and you got shot in the process. He got past the security guys, Gibbs, not you. You saved the day," she told him, her eyes shining with a sincerity that told Gibbs she believed every word she said. "If you hadn't gone down there, if you hadn't realised something was wrong and took charge of the situation... You kept it from being a lot worse. You kept him from killing Gerald and Ducky and Kate. I know you're mad at yourself but you shouldn't be. I know you're gonna do everything you can to get this guy and I know you'll succeed and make him wish he'd never even heard of NCIS. You might not have faith in yourself, Gibbs, but that's okay. I've got enough for both of us."

For several moments, they said nothing. Gibbs opened his mouth to speak to her but closed it when he realised he didn't know what to say. Abby smiled at him, a little nervously he thought, and leaned in before he could process what she was going to do.

Her lips brushed his, hesitantly at first, but growing more confident when he didn't object. Gibbs found himself lifting a hand to cup her cheek, losing himself willing in her kiss, which seemed so innocent and pure after everything that had happened over the course of the day.

The smile on her face when she pulled back, though, was anything but innocent, and, when joined by the gleam in her eyes and her flushed cheeks, he found it – and her – entirely irresistible.

"Come to bed?" She asked quietly, a note of hope in her lower-than-normal voice.

"Need help keeping the nightmares away?" He took the hand she offered and pushed away from the workbench, following her towards the stairs.

"Something like that."

The image of the man whose face was permanently ingrained in his mind was temporarily banished, pushed aside to make room for the one glimmer of joy the dark day had brought with it.

* * *

End


	19. The Truth is Out There, jennifer6973

**Title**: The Truth Is Out There  
**Author**: jennifer6973**  
Rating**: PG-13  
**Spoilers**: _The Truth is Out There_, season one

**Summary**: Abby brings Gibbs takeout.

* * *

She'd been getting takeout from the Chinese restaurant down the street from the Naval Yard, when Tony and Kate walked in and got a table together. That surprised her, but then she realized, they were talking about Gibbs while looking over the menu. If they were on a date the last person they would talk about is Gibbs.

So she walked over after getting her food and walking out, to find out what was going on. They told her he was still back at the office, basically trying to will a match for the terrorist that shot Gerald and Gibbs in the morgue the previous week. She thanked him and left the restaurant.

As she was sitting at the light, she made the decision to go back to the Navy Yard since she had enough food for two anyway. She got off the elevator and he didn't bother to look up, he was that engrossed in the search. Not that it was going to get anywhere, considering the man didn't seem to be in the system anywhere.

He only looked up when she called his name, and took a chair from the empty desk across from him. He asked what she was doing back at the Navy Yard and she said she ordered enough Chinese food for two. She asked him why he was going through the face recognition again, and he said you never know when you might find something. She told him he wasn't going to find anything soon, so they might as well eat something.

They talked while they ate about football and fetishes, stepped around his ex-wives who he didn't want to talk about yet, because he enjoyed her company and didn't want to scare her off The fetish talk made them both blush, so they talked and laughed about Tony's workout regime before a big date.

An hour later they were done eating and Abby was finishing up a story about watching the NASCAR race from Atlanta with Tony, so he could impress a girl who was a Dale Earnhardt, Junior fan. He looked up and she noticed he looked a little jealous, but she didn't say anything and at the same time looked down to notice the food was gone and the "date" was over. It suddenly got very quiet between them, and he helped clean up the trash and walked her to her car.

She decided to go for it and asked him back to her place for coffee, he looked surprised and tried to put her off saying he had a report to finish, which she knew was bull. She told him that if the computer found a match, it would be waiting for him when he got back to the office.

So she drove him to her place where she put a pot of coffee on, and she got behind him to massage his shoulder that was shot by the terrorist, to say he enjoyed it was an understatement, so he started talking about the case they had just finished up and that the victim's friend killed him for money.

She heard the coffee pot stop brewing and she got up to get both of them a cup, but as she did so he pulled her on to his lap. The fact that they were so close together was not lost on her as she felt what the massage did to him. They both asked each other how long they've had these feelings and both said a while. He didn't want to act on them and didn't want to hurt her so he suppressed them.

She slowly kissed him and he started kissing back. They did that for a while, but he stopped it before they went too far. He asked for a cup of coffee to go and that she come over to his place Sunday to watch the Darlington race with him. She said yes and drove him back to the Navy Yard.

_END._


	20. UnSealed, Motivation, bluefirebird

**Title:** Motivation

**Author:** bluefirebird  
**Rating**: PG-13

**Spoilers:** UnSEALed  
**Summary:** Post-ep for UnSEALed. Abby checks on Gibbs after the case

Abby doesn't really know why cases involving kids always seem to particularly affect Gibbs, but they are only surpassed by cases where the members of his own team are threatened or hurt. With three divorces behind him there is no hint of children in his life, yet when they have to deal with kids he engages with them so much better than DiNozzo whose juvenile antics should be right at their level.

She has become a regular visitor to Gibbs and his basement, his recent shooting, not to mention the single mindedness with which he is chasing the terrorist who had shot him, giving her a good excuse to show concern and check up on him at the same time, and he doesn't seem to mind her company – which is just as well because while she tells herself that they are just friends she knows deep down that it is her attraction to him that truly motivates her concern. She loves Tony, but she is _in love_ with Gibbs. Not that it's ever going to go anywhere, she knows, but it certainly fuels the industrial strength flirting that they indulge in at work, and which helps them work so well together.

Tonight she is checking on him after the Curtin case, the man Gibbs had worked so hard to prove innocent so he could be with his son again. She descends the stairs to his basement expecting to see him leaning over the boat hull, back muscles rippling as he puts a surprising amount of effort into the sanding at his fingertips. Instead she finds him sat on his workbench, his back leaning awkwardly against the tools that hang there, large fingers holding a jar – nothing as refined as a glass – of bourbon and staring sightlessly across the room, a bleak expression on his face.

He doesn't even acknowledge her until she is standing right beside him, gently waving a hand back and forth across his line of sight. Only then does he shake himself from his reverie and put the jar off to the side. Cocking his head inquisitorially he meets her eyes and states quietly: "McGee's got a pretty big crush on you."

Abby relaxes a little, maybe he isn't retreating to a dark place in his mind after all. "Yeah," there's a hint of amusement in her voice. "He follows me round the lab like a little puppy, it'd be kinda cute, but he can get in the way sometimes.

"You interested, Abs?"

His voice is mild, but suddenly Abby feels like she is being interrogated.

She gives a nervous laugh, "McGee? No way."

His eyes roam over her face searching, asking unheard questions and she feels she needs to further deny any interest in McGee. "He's... I-I'm just not interested in him."

"But you are interested in someone at the Navy Yard." Again, a statement of fact, not a question from him.

In the years she's know him, Abby has never been able to outright lie to Gibbs, she's managed to deflect him with versions of the truth, but never lies. Tony and Kate joke about the all-seeing, all-knowing Gibbs who always appears just when they don't want him to hear their conversation, always apparently fully abreast of said conversation – unless it suits him to make them repeat the particularly embarrassing bits.

She nods in response to his comment and looks down to study her boots. Not wishing to further confirm or deny anything lest she give away that it is him that she is interested in.

"Abs, look at me." His voice is gentle.

She looks back up as he shifts on the bench opening his knees wide to make room for her and then crooking his finger to indicate for her to move forward into the space between them.

She hesitates, just for a second, unsure of his intentions yet trusting him absolutely, then moves forward as he asked.

Gibbs reaches a hand up to her face, brushing her cheek gently with the back of his knuckles, and it is like an electric spark flows between them. All the while he studies her face, her reaction to him, his eyes darting everywhere while he first strokes a pigtail and then curls a large hand gently round the back of her neck to pull her to him.

As his eyes focus on her lips - and stay there as he pulls her closer - she finally dares to hope.


	21. Dead Man Talking, Mistakes?, iheartGibbs

**Title**: Mistakes?**  
Author**: iheartGibbs  
**Rating**: FR-13  
**Spoilers**: _Dead Man Talking_  
**Summary**: Abby thinks about Chris Pacci's death.

* * *

I still can't believe he's gone. Anytime we lose one of our own here at NCIS, there is this horrible cloud of regret that descends upon us as a whole. It's primarily because we all feel responsible. It is our job to catch the bad guys, whether we use investigative skills or forensics, and when one of the bad guys gets one of us…it just feels like there is something we should have done.

I didn't even go to Pacci's memorial service. And he was family.

How can I possibly reconcile this to anyone who knows me? It seems so weird for me of all people to choose not to attend. I can blame the workload. I can say it's because he wasn't very close to me. But those are simply excuses.

My heart hurts for Gibbs. I know, more than anyone else, he holds himself responsible. Kate told me this morning about when Pacci asked Gibbs last week for help and he rudely cut him off. I know Gibbs must be dying inside. I'm afraid he blames me.

_Why would he possibly blame you, Abby?_ I know that's what you're thinking. I'm the reason Gibbs was so curt to Chris last week. You see, Gibbs didn't really approve of what was starting to happen between me and Timothy McGee, but he really didn't have a leg to stand on to back me off, considering McGee works out of Norfolk and isn't precisely a co-worker.

Allow me to explain.

Gibbs and I have had a sort of flirtation thing going on for a long time, behind closed doors. But Gibbs has too much pride to admit one of his rules could be so fundamentally wrong. So we love in secret and refuse to acknowledge it publicly. In a way it's sad, but in truth, it adds to the excitement for me. I'll admit it. I kind of like the jolt it gives me when Gibbs makes comments in front of other people that means one thing to the group and something entirely different to me. Only he knows what makes my heart race.

A little more than a week ago, Gibbs confronted me in the lab. He knew about my date with McGee and got very territorial. At first, I was completely taken aback. I mean, Gibbs is the one who has refused to take whatever it is we have to an official or exclusive level. He still sees other people. I was really thrown for a loop with how much the McGee date had gotten to him. I've dated other people since we first hooked up and he didn't get this jealous.

Anyhow, he had me backed into a corner and was leaning toward me, posturing and all but growling, when all of a sudden the emotion of the moment changed from a passionate argument to an electric heat. I don't even know how to explain it. Before I knew it, he was kissing me. Invading me. Devouring me. Right there in the lab. Sure, it was after normal hours, but many of our agents keep odd work hours. Gibbs had definitely lost control, and I was loving every second of it.

Enter Chris Pacci.

So now you know why Gibbs didn't want to face Pacci, and why I'm almost certain he blames me. Gibbs can get busy with work and doesn't always share his time with others, but his abruptness with Pacci last week was about more than that. He was angry with himself for making the ultimate mistake and losing control, with Pacci for catching him in a weak moment, but mostly with me for being the catalyst that pushed him to the breaking point. I could be wrong; he may simply be blaming himself. But somehow it's easier for me to bear some of the load, at least in my own mind.

Gibbs and I have had a few moments together since and things aren't strained between us or anything, but we aren't as close as we were. I can tell he wants me as much as he ever has. That probably explains why I am milking my association with Timothy McGee for all I can get out of it, especially in front of Gibbs. Maybe it's a bit cruel of me, knowing what it does to him, but I'm hoping to inspire another mistake.

_THE END_


	22. Missing, A for Antechinus

**Title**: Missing  
**Author**: A for Antechinus  
**Rating**: PG-13  
**Spoilers**: _Missing_, season one  
**Summary**: After almost losing Tony, Gibbs doesn't want to lose Abby.

* * *

The Caf Pow was beside her, before she even realised she wasn't alone in the lab.

"Gibbs, I wasn't expecting you down here, but you're just in time to see the finished Gallipoli" Abby said waving her arm downwards towards the Styrofoam and assorted objects masquerading as people that she was standing over.

"Ever since you said it was an amphibious op, that got me thinking, those ANZAC's were fighting a losing battle."

"They were."

"Gibbs, they were like lambs being led into slaughter, it was terrible."

"It was a mistake, Abbs, but it was also history," answered Gibbs, leaning in to give her a kiss on the cheek, stopping her babbling gently and putting her at ease, with that simple gesture.

The last few days, having Tony going missing, and finding him alive after seeing what had occurred to the other men, had got him thinking.

Tony and Kate were his team, he cared for them, and always would, yet there was that boss/younger officer relationship that he had to uphold. Yet with Abby, whilst she rushed his cases through, and she knew them the best, he wasn't her boss, wasn't even a co worker since she did things he couldn't even dream off.

Looking back at Abby, he gave a small smile.

"Want to keep an old man company tonight, Abbs?"

"Of course, but only if we get Chinese from that shop down the street."

Nodding his head in agreement, Abby spun around to start the process of shutting down her babies.

* * *

"So I sand the wood this way, right?" Abby asked, looking up at him for the answer. They had eaten then retreated down to the basement, Abby had been happy to sit and watch for a while, but eventually she wanted to help.

Gibbs smiled and walked over.

"Move your hand like this," he murmured gently placing his hand on hers and angling it just so. Picking up on her hitched breath and trying to ignore the electricity that he felt when their hands touched.

"Then we move up and down, up and down," he continued. She was doing fine, he didn't need to keep his hand there, but for some reason he couldn't move it away. Abby swayed and he placed his other arm on her other side to steady her, when he heard her breath in sharply and she stopped sanding.

In that instant he realised how close he was to her, how close his mouth was to her neck, he could just lean down and kiss her if he wanted. Almost as if he had said it aloud, she angled her head and he tightened his grip, desperate not to let her go and needing to do something that would stop him from kissing her, even if it did bring her unbearably closer.

Somehow she turned around, perhaps he let her, or she manoeuvred herself around, but he was face to face with her, nothing between them but skin and air.

That was when it stopped for him, when he realised what he had been fighting for months was fruitless. What almost losing an agent had taught him, It could have been too late, so he kissed her hard on the lips.

After only a second's hesitation she was kissing back. The kissing moved quickly from gentle and unsure to passionate only breaking for air when it was desperate.

Resting his forehead against hers Gibbs studied her.

"This isn't just a one night stand Abby."

Abby leant back up to kiss him lightly and then pulled away.

"Good, because I wasn't planning on this being a one night stand either."

_END._


	23. Split Decision, miss4nschik

**Title**: Split Decision**  
Author**: miss4nschik**  
Rating**: PG-13**  
Spoilers**: _Split Decision_, season one and very mildly for _Guilty Pleasure_, season eight.**  
Summary**: Post-case, Abby and Gibbs have dinner.

* * *

The agreement had been simple. Once the case with the ATF-lady was closed he'd make them dinner and she'd bring the dessert. So, here they were, sitting at his table with empty plates and almost empty beer bottles in front of them.

"This was great, Gibbs. It's been ages since I had a good steak. But you know what would make it even better?"

"No.", he finished his beer and looked at her expectantly. If Abby had a cooking advice, it's got to be something out of the ordinary.

"I'll tell you a Sciuto-BBQ-secret: When it's almost done, you pour some beer on it."

"Really?"

"Really.", she took a sip of her beer and pointed the bottle at him as to add extra credibility to her statement.

"Seems like a waste of beer."

She giggled at his comment. "I'll show you next time. You're gonna love it."

"I'm sure.", he nodded. She was most likely right. "Coffee?"

"No Caf-Pow?", she said in mock horror, "Of course. You know me, I need my caffeine."

As he busied himself with preparing the coffeemaker, she quickly reached into her handbag, pulled up a plastic bag and put its contents on Gibbs' plate.  
When he returned to collect the dirty dishes, he couldn't hide his surprise. To her, that surprised and slightly confused look on his face was the best moment of the week, best one so far at least, and she did her best to keep a stern face.

"I told you before; you can't go straight for dessert, Gibbs, you've got to eat your peas first."

He only smirked in response and resolutely took both plates from the table. From where she sat she could see him scrape the green peas straight into the garbage, causing a hearty laugh from her. She could see that he was smiling widely as well.  
She helped him clear off the rest of the table and then went to the freezer to take out the dessert she had brought. "It's ice-cream-time.", she said in the same manner she had told him in the lab when she had given him the results of her findings, and held up a tub of strawberry flavored ice cream.

He took out two bowls from one of the cabinets and gave to her to scoop up into. He looked suspiciously at the pink plastic box. "Strawberry?"

"Well, sorry Gibbs, they didn't have coffee or bourbon at the shop I went to. And besides, beggars can't be choosers."

"Did I beg for it?"

"Actually you should because you did not eat a single one of your peas."

"Abby...", he was clearly getting tired of peas in all shapes and colors now.

"Okay okay. Won't mention it again.", she said, turning to face him and handing him his bowl, "Just promise me to give peace a chance." She hurried away to the next room before he could respond.

They sat down in the sofa with their coffees and bowls of ice cream.

The easy, flirty tone they always had at work had been with them throughout the dinner and even if it was nice and fun, she was beginning to feel a bit... well, frustrated. They weren't at work so there was no need to be discreet or anything and it was just the two of them. Sure, they were good friends and she liked that, but she'd like to at least know if he was at all interested in taking things a bit further...  
She ate some of the lovely sweet ice cream and thought at the situation. No, it was probably best to ignore it and just be happy with the friendship they had. Or maybe...?

She tried to come up with something but nothing. He took a spoonful of the ice cream and then she saw the opportunity rise.

"You've got some...", she said, looking intently at his lips and reaches up to brush her thumb over the corner of his mouth, pretending to wipe off some cream. He did tense up just a little but otherwise made no reaction. She brought the finger to her own mouth and slowly licked the tip of the thumb, her gaze still focusing on his lips. "There. All gone.", she looks him in the eyes and smiles a coy-looking smile before looking down and placing the bowl she was holding onto the table.  
"How funny. I think yours taste better than mine..."

He filled his spoon again but this time he held it out to her instead, "Try."

A drip fell down on her bare thigh and both their gazes went to it, seeing it run slowly to the inside of her leg. Good thing she was wearing her short skirt tonight instead of the black trousers from work, otherwise they would've had to go into the laundry. She had to ignore it momentarily though, paying her attention to the spoon he was holding instead. She leaned a bit forward and took it into her mouth, locking her eyes with his in the process.  
Oh, if this didn't create some kind of response she'd join the nuns in the convent for sure.  
Was she imagining or did his eyes just turn darker? And did he not...

Her trails of thoughts stops abruptly as he puts his hand gently on her leg. The hitch of her breath not going by unnoticed by either part. He uses his index finger to wipe up the melting cream from her skin and brings the finger to his mouth to lick it off. She swallows hard, following each move he makes with her eyes.  
_Oh my god... _  
He could clearly play this game too...  
There really can't be a way back now, can it?

"I think...", he says in a voice low and husky and with just that tone that makes her go all tingly inside, as he slowly leans in closer to her face, "it's _you _making it taste better..."

Had it been any other guy telling her that she would have thought that that was the cheesiest line she'd ever heard but this was Gibbs and the gentle and sweet kiss that followed his words was so sweet in more ways than one and within milliseconds all silly thoughts about peas, ice creams and ignoring to act on ones feelings were long time gone...

_END._


	24. Us, A Weak Link, bbfan

**Title**: Us  
**Author**: bbfan  
**Rating**: K+  
**Summary**: McGee's luck just ran out.  
**Spoilers**: _A Weak Link,_season 1

**Author's Note**: No beta on this one. Please excuse all mistakes… I'm sure there are some! This was extremely difficult episode to write for and the fact that I had a day and a half to get it done didn't help! I'm leaving for a very long work week out of town and won't be back until next weekend. But none the less… hope I did this justice.

* * *

Gibbs piled into his car, grateful to get the hell out of the building. Seeing McGee mooning over Abby pissed him off. He wished he had understood Kate's apprehension of getting him involved when he suggested that she get a hold of him. He knew he had practically threw them together, putting Abby in a very vulnerable position.

Abby being who she is didn't push McGee away, but he could tell by her body language that she was a little uncomfortable with the attention McGee was paying towards her. He knew he would have to make it up to her eventually, which he actually looked forward to doing.

Before he knew it, he was driving down his street. Spying a very familiar vehicle sitting outside his house made him smile. Abby's hearse was there, which of course meant that she was there. She must really be upset with him. Abby didn't come over unless something was wrong with her, him or one of the others. He knew exactly why she was there and he was glad. They could put this all behind them and get on with being the friends that they were… or possibly something more.

Gibbs got out of his car and lightly shut his door. He didn't want to disturb her in case she was asleep. He had noticed there were no lights on. Walking into the house, he moved quietly around the corner to see her sitting on the couch. He could barely make out her form. She didn't say a thing, but she knew he was there.

Slowly Gibbs made his way across the room to the couch and sat down right next to her. He reached down and took one of her hands into his, reassuring her that he was ready to listen to her when she was ready to talk. Her head came to rest on his shoulder. He let his head come to rest lightly on top of hers. Her hair smelled good and he could feel the rise and fall of her breathing. He could really get used to this.

They sat in the dark like this for a few minutes when he finally decided nothing was going to get resolved unless one of them spoke.

"Abbs?" Gibbs asked in a low voice.

"Hmmm?" Abby sighed.

"You okay?" he asked, again speaking softly.

"No…" she whispered.

"Does this have something to do with McGee?" he inquired.

"Yes and no," she stated, her voice heavy with emotion.

"It can't be both, Abby. Which is it?" he asked, hoping he didn't sound exasperated.

"Yes it can, Gibbs. McGee wants something from me that is unfeasible, just like I want something that is just as unattainable," she argued, her voice catching.

"I don't understand what you mean, Abby." He knew exactly what she was talking about, but he wanted her to keep talking.

Abby let go of his hand, stood up and started pacing back and forth. Gibbs got up quickly to turn on a light before she ran into something and hurt herself.

Her classic ramble didn't surprise him, though. "Don't you get it, Gibbs. McGee wants an _'us'_ and there can never be an _'us'_ because… well, because there's another _'us'_that I want so much more," she said, her voice trailing off.

Abby's gaze fell from his eyes to the floor and it confirmed to him that the _'us'_ she was talking about being unattainable was _'them'_. She was telling him that she wanted a relationship with him, not McGee.

Gibbs felt his heart soar and he couldn't help but smile at her. She was breathtakingly beautiful. Her face was flushed from being upset, yet it made her so much more alluring.

"It's not funny, Gibbs," she said, looking back up at him trying to desperately hold back the tears.

Gibbs knew only one way to let her know that he wanted the same thing. He wasn't good with words, so actions were going to have to suffice.

"C'mere…" he said in a low voice.

Abby looked at him and took a few steps towards him until she was standing in front of him.

"Closer…" He could now feel her breath on his neck and it sent a jolt through his body.

Gibbs gently raised his hands and ran them slowly up her arms until one of them cupped her chin, raising her face towards his. The other went around her waist, pulling her tight against him. He looked into her bright eyes and then lowered his gaze to her lips. Without hesitation he captured them with his and kissed her long and hard. His tongue snaked out and traced her lips, as if seeking permission to enter.

Abby sighed and granted his wish. Their tongues battled, dueled, backed off and then started all over again. The kiss lasted until they parted breathless. Gibbs rested his forehead against hers.

"Is this the _'us'_you were talking about, Abby?" he asked, gasping for air.

"God, yes…" she sighed.

Gibbs kissed her again, this time he took his time mapping out her sweet mouth. His lips finally left her, just to take a path to her ear.

"Stay?"

There was silence, but Abby had buried her face in his neck and shook her head affirmatively. He knew her voice had failed her, but that was alright. They were going to be alright.

_The end._


	25. A Second Chance, Reveille, gosgirl

**Title**: A Second Chance  
**Author**: Gosgirl  
**Spoiler**: _Reveille_, season 1  
**Summary**: post-episode for _Reveille_. Abby confronts Gibbs after Ari.

**Author's Note**: Thanks to Bamacrush for letting me use her as a sounding board.

* * *

"Not just slept."

That comment had lodged in his brain and he couldn't shift it. It had been rolling around in his head all day, tormenting him.

When he heard Abby's amused husky voice teasing McGee, he'd only been on the other side of the bathroom door and it had frozen him to the spot. He tried to tell himself he was pissed at Rule 12 being broken but who was he kidding? He was pissed because it was another example of just how much he'd blown it over the past few months.

His obsession with Ari Haswari had cost him dear, and now it looked like it had cost him Abby.

Gibbs would have been blind not to have seen McGee's increasing infatuation with Abby in recent weeks. He'd just been kidding himself that she wouldn't respond... that the young shy agent couldn't possibly be Abby's type, despite the superficial similarities in their professional interests.

Who was he kidding?

Of course, she'd look at McGee before she spared him a second glance? A young, kind, devoted man versus a damaged, cranky old bastard? How could he think otherwise?

There was a time before Ari when Gibbs thought he and Abby were drifting closer. How their flirting and easy banter seemed to be taking on a more meaningful edge, and he'd been plucking up the courage to finally make a move.

Then Ari had burst into their lives.

In the past few months, he'd pushed everyone away. Not even Abby could get through the shell of hatred and rage he'd erected around himself. And now he was paying for it. His anger and obsession had annoyed, exasperated, hurt and upset just about every person around him... everyone he cared for.

And now it turned out that even his loathing and obsession was misplaced, that Ari wasn't a terrorist after all but a Mossad agent putting his life on the line. So why was his gut still churning? Why did it scream at him that the man who'd callously shot Gerald couldn't be anything but a murdering bastard with an agenda of his own?

His payback today had felt hollow. It sure as hell wasn't as satisfying as it should have been when he put a bullet in Ari's shoulder, as he'd so callously done with Gerald months earlier.

So here he was in his basement drowning his anger in bourbon and taking his frustrations out on his boat.

Cautious steps indicated he was no longer alone.

Looking up to see Abby, he watched her closely as she descended the basement stairs. She looked tired and uncertain of her welcome. It made his heart ache that they'd grown so far apart these last months that she couldn't even be sure he'd welcome her company.

"Hey Gibbs... or should I call you Ishmael?"

"Abbs." He tilted his head in acknowledgement of her gentle teasing. It wouldn't be the first time someone had made the comparison but this time he didn't take her head off, like he had with DiNozzo,

"Just came to see if you're okay." Abby stopped by him and gave him a gentle smile. "If Captain Ahab finally vanquished his white whale?"

Gibbs shrugged. "Turns out he wasn't Moby Dick after all." He held up the bottle and poured her a shot when she nodded.

"Is that what your gut is telling you?" she asked, curiosity lacing her voice. He threw her a look and saw her smile. "No, I didn't think so. Then we'd better all try to stay safe when he comes back... which you think he will, right?"

Gibbs nodded. "Yeah, I do." It seems even his behaviour over the past few months hadn't managed to destroy her blind faith in him, that she'd trust his gut over any official explanation.

He looked at her, trying to read her face but she kept her eyes lowered as she sipped her bourbon. "Why ya here?" he asked her, gently.

"Told you, came to see how you were. Can't I be worried about you? About my... closest friend?" Abby glanced up at him briefly before her green eyes skittered away from his gaze. "You've been so... preoccupied these past few months that I wondered how you were coping now, whether no longer having Ari occupy every waking hour was catching up on you."

Trust Abby to have the balls to call him on it when everyone else had been dancing round the subject. "I'm..."

"Fine," Abby finished for him. "Yeah, I know, I kinda figured you'd say that. Okay, I get it, you don't want to talk about it. That's also... fine." She huffed an ironic laugh. "Just as long as you're okay. I was worried... been worried for months about you." She finally made eye contact for longer than a few seconds and his breath caught at the expression he thought he could read there.

"I'm okay, Abbs. No need to worry." The look she threw him indicated she didn't believe him but thankfully, she didn't push him on it.

"Too late, I always worry about you. I can't help it, Gibbs," she told him softly. Abby turned partially to face him and he looked at her, really looked at her face for what seemed the first time in weeks, seeing the tiredness, the worry and strain, and felt another pang of guilt that he hadn't noticed it before now.

"I'm... fine, Abbs, really." He exchanged an ironic smile with her. "Beside, won't McGee wonder where you are?"

Gibbs couldn't resisting asking but dreaded the answer. He still felt guilty about taking his anger out on Abby earlier. As the day began to unravel around him, he'd blown up at her, accusing her of 'playing house' with McGee.

He saw her shoulders tense at his question and her tone turned defensive. "What's that supposed to mean, as if I didn't know? I don't let anyone dictate what I do, you should know that about me by now. Besides, it's just casual with Tim... or at least it is on my part." Abby turned away to lean against the bench beside him, sipping her drink and gazing thoughtfully into the distance.

"Just thought you'd prefer to be with him than checking up on a cranky old bastard like me."

He knew pushing her like this wasn't a good idea. She could clam up just as effectively as he could if she didn't want to talk about something. But it was like a fog was lifting from around him, both from Ari and his obsession, and fuelled by the sliver of hope he thought he could detect in Abby's words and eyes.

Gibbs saw her square her shoulders as if making a decision and her head came up and she looked at him, gaze suddenly determined, a spark deep in her eyes. "Maybe I prefer to be with that cranky bastard."

"You sure about that?" He held his breath. Abby could have anyone she chose, she was beautiful, bright, funny and sexy as hell. Why would she want him?

"Yeah, I'm sure. You've pushed me away enough the past few months, Gibbs." She couldn't hide the hurt that flashed across her face. "I just thought you might let me back in again now Ari is gone but maybe I got that wrong."

She of all people should know it wasn't that easy for him to let anyone in. She had to understand how much seeing her with McGee had affected him. "Thought I'd left it too late, that you'd moved on already, Abbs."

"Maybe you gave me no choice lately, Gibbs?" Abby's explosive temper soon flared. "Maybe I got tired of all the mixed signals from you... one minute hoping that what I was reading from you might be true, and the next minute thinking that I was mistaken and that you couldn't possibly want someone like me."

_Oh, if only she knew. Well, tell her, Gunny, she' s not a mind reader. _

He tried to interrupt but Abby steamrollered on. "So I decided I couldn't hang around forever waiting for you to remember that I existed... remember that the world didn't revolve around Ari Haswari."

"That why you were with McGee the other night?" Gibbs felt his own temper rising again; it had simmered too close to the surface all day to be easily quashed.

He was getting his own taste of mixed signals tonight... one minute seeing the spark of flirtation and desire from her that was achingly familiar, and then the next moment seeing that turn to anger and hurt.

He watched Abby pace, arms crossed over her chest, shoulders hunched. "I've _been with_McGee, as you put it, for months, Gibbs... you overhead the end of our conversation today about my coffin, didn't you?" She stopped in front of him, anger suddenly draining away from her features and looked up at him, eyes shimmering. "I didn't think you wanted me... or I'd never have started a relationship with McGee."

"Oh, Abbs." Unable to help himself, Gibbs reached out to brush his hand over her cheek, itching to trace a familiar sign over her skin but wondering if she'd welcome it now.

"What did you expect me to do, Gibbs?" she asked him almost plaintively, leaning into his touch. "Wait for you forever when I didn't even know how you felt about me? I still don't..."

"No, Abbs, had no right to expect that." He stepped closer and tilted her chin up, wanting to kiss her but still holding back.

Too restless to stay still, she spun away from him and resumed her pacing, hands gesturing with half formed signs. "He's kind and attentive and he adores me. It's a hard combination for a girl to resist." The way she described him, it made McGee sound like a loyal retriever rather than a lover.

"Then why are ya here, Abbs, if you're now with McGee?" It hurt like hell to ask but he had to know where he stood. He knew Abby's free and easy approach to relationships. But he didn't share... not with anyone and especially when it came to someone as special as Abby.

"Because..." She hesitated and came to a stop in front of him again. "Because, Gibbs, I wanted to see if there was any point in me hanging on... for you." His heart sped up at her words and he rested his hands on her hips. "I know McGee wants me, and I know he wants a more serious relationship and I... I don't know if I want that with him..." She looked away, biting her lip, "Casual was enough for me with him."

"And McGee doesn't want casual?" Gibbs had some sympathy for McGee. No man could view a relationship with Abby as casual; she was addictive. For Gibbs, it would be all or nothing.

"I know he doesn't but I don't want what he wants. I don't wanna hurt him and I know I'm going to even if... even if there's nothing here between us." She looked up and seemed to realise how close he was, her eyes widening before she continued softly, "But I've gotta know, Gibbs. I've gotta know whether I'm wasting my time here, waiting for you."

That was enough.

Gibbs cupped her face in his hands and brushed a light kiss over her lips, feeling her sigh into his mouth as he lingered. "You're not wasting your time, Abbs."

She slid one hand around his neck, threading her fingers into his hair. "Good, coz I know you can feel this too."

She gestured between them and he instantly knew what she meant... the way his eyes would lock with hers and neither could look away... the way his pulse and heartbeat would react to her perfume... the way her nearness would steal his breath... the way her sultry voice would send a shiver straight down his spine to his cock... the way electricity sparked between them every time they were in the same room. Their chemistry was intoxicating.

"Oh yeah, I feel it." He nuzzled his way across her cheek and down her neck, feeling her shiver against him. "Always have."

He raised his head and took her mouth in a kiss that rapidly turned hungry and possessive. When he broke away, they were both breathing heavily and he rested his forehead against hers as he admitted, "Just been a bit distracted lately."

"Yeah, I noticed," her laugh was ironic. She stopped him as he bent to kiss her again, holding his shoulders and searching his eyes. "But I need to know if this is just a one-off casual thing for you, Gibbs, and then you'll push me away again, coz I don't think I could cope with that?"

He curled his hands on her hips, pulling her more firmly against him, wondering what she needed from him to convince her. "It's much more than that, Abbs, at least for me."

"Me too. It's you... it's always been you I've wanted, no one else." She seemed to find what she was looking for in his eyes for a blinding smile lit her face. "So... tell me what you want, Gibbs?"

He held her gaze, trying to convey what he felt. "You, and a second chance."

_The end._

* * *

**Chirugal's Note: **Okay, that's season one all done and dusted! We'll be starting a new fic for season two, so if you want an alert when we post the first tag, add us to your author alerts now. :)_  
_


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